ALL the speed cameras in Newcastle and along the A1 through Northumberland have been switched off for the last 22 months, the Chronicle can reveal.

In a money-saving move intended to prevent costly legal appeals, road safety bosses decided to secretly switch off the five fixed-location cameras in Newcastle.

The decision was taken because signs warning motorists of their presence had not been erected.

Cameras were also switched off in Northumberland along the A1 and the A69 and A696, although many in the county are managed by the Highways Agency.

Between the two councils there are 14 speed cameras which have been switched off since at least 2010. In Newcastle some cameras have been unused since 2007.

The embarrassment could have been avoided by spending just £500 to put up the correct signs, but this move has been repeatedly put off despite police recommendations.

With the most prolific camera in the region, in Prudhoe, Northumberland, bringing in nearly £220,000 in fines last year, it is thought the signage could easily have been paid for by the £60 fines handed out to speeding motorists.

Last night a family who lost their son to a dangerous driver said it was vital the partnership – covering the Northumbria Police force area – put pressure on city leaders to reverse the decision.

Debbie Cameron, 41, lost her son David in 2004 when he was knocked down by a silver BMW in Newcastle.

She was backed by Newcastle East MP Nick Brown who said the previously Liberal Democrat-controlled council which made the decision had put lives at risk.

He said: “This is a metaphor for the whole way the place was run ... on appearance rather than substance. These cameras save lives and this negligence will put lives at risk.”

While many of the cameras still flash as a deterrent, there is no film in the 14 cameras identified as non-operational.

Members of the partnership, covering fixed cameras in Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Newcastle and Northumberland, say merely having the camera box by the side of the road is often sufficient to prevent dangerous driving.

The partnership said no cameras were active in Newcastle in 2010, as well as several in Northumberland, because of concerns over which signs were needed to correctly warn motorists.

Newcastle Council said that because there was no legal need for the signs, the issue was not dealt with as a priority.

Nick Clennett, head of transport for Gateshead and chair of the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative, said: “The Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative has always been about safer driving and ensuring motorists slow down, particularly at known collision hot-spots.

“There are often many issues why fixed cameras are not active, including issues with signage, technical issues or the cameras are serving their purpose by slowing traffic without the need for active enforcement. The legal requirement for signage when conducting traffic enforcement is that the speed limits comply with regulations.

“When the requirement – for the purposes of the partnership operations – changed to require signs, we ensured we complied with that guidance.

“However, this is purely best practice and not a legal requirement. While we encouraged all partners to handle this requirement, we did not see an exceptional urgency for some sites to rush to erect the signs.

“As a result there have been no convictions at the sites where signs were not erected.

“It is important to note that the signs are not legally required to carry out enforcement, but it is a policy the partnership has maintained to ensure motorists are aware of enforcement.

“Enforcement can be conducted without notification to the motorists.”

He added that the decision not to switch on the cameras will be looked at again following the Chronicle’s revelations.

Mother of road death boy hits out at decision to switch off speed cameras

THE MOTHER of a seven-year-old killed on a busy road today hit out at the decision to shut off speed cameras.

Debbie Cameron, 41, lost her son David in 2004 when he was knocked down by a silver BMW in Newcastle.

The child minder went on to lead a road safety campaign which forced council bosses to look again at speeding concerns.

She said: "Speed cameras are there to serve a purpose and they should not be switched off.

"There had already been two accidents on the road where David died and does that not say something?

"I was told when David died that four fatalities had to happen before speed cameras go up, but now they are not even being put to good use."

Schoolboy David Josh Cameron was killed in June 2004 on Newcastle’s Stamfordham Road as he made his way over a pedestrian crossing on his bike.The crash happened about 200m South East of the road junction with the A1.

Debbie said: "It will cost lives. In the not too distant future there will be more accidents I am sure of it.

"How much can it cost the council to run these and what is more important than saving lives?

David, of Gishford Way, Blakelaw, Newcastle, had been playing with friends when the accident happened.

The youngster, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, was taken to Newcastle General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

She said: "Since campaigning we have managed to get the speed limit down from 40mph to 30mph.

"People need to slow down, but not having speed cameras on this stretch of road could cost lives."

The Cameron’s, who also have daughter Kirsty, 11, called for a fixed speed camera on the A1 motorway at Cowgate, North Newcastle.

She said: "We never managed to get the speed camera put up and unfortunately the crossing which David used is still there."